  Ambrose School 1917 News 12 January 28, 2020 By Stan Smith TWO BROTHERS REMODEL GRAYSON COUNTY'S OLDEST STANDING SCHOOL https://www.kxii.com/content/news/Two-brothers-remodel-Grayson-Countys-oldest-standing-school-567371441.html AMBROSE, Tex. (KXII) - Thomas Whitlock said he walked across the stage inside the Ambrose School for eighth grade graduation in 1959, and was part of the last graduating class in the schools history. "We'd walk to school every day and walk back like everybody else, it was just a good time," said Thomas Whitlock. The Ambrose School was built in 1917, nearly everyone in the Whitlock family was a student at one point in its history. "My mom and dad went to school here, and then three of their children went to school here. That merry-go-round you see in the back, they played on it," said Thomas Whitlock. Everyone except Thomas' younger brother, Grayson County Commissioner David Whitlock. "In 1959, they transferred us to Bells, so I had to school at Bells," said David Whitlock. Over the years, the school was a community center, owned by Bells ISD. For the past 20 years, it had been abandoned. "I drove by the building, it made me sick. The top was coming off, it was all growing up," said Thomas Whitlock. In the spring, Thomas Whitlock went to the school district. "Explained to them it was a mess and they needed to clean it up," said his brother David. In June, David bought the building because he wanted it to be restored. Since then, David and Thomas cleaned and cleaned... "Most of the windows were broken out, it was just horrible," said David Whitlock.  ...and cleaned. "But it came together and we still sweep and every time you sweep you get more dirt. I don't know where it comes from but this place gathers more dirt than anything I've ever seen," said David Whitlock. The two say they wanted to share their fond memories with the rest of the community. "But now we've put life back in to it. Its a neat old building," said Thomas Whitlock. "I feel better here than I feel anywhere in this world, because this is home. This is home," said David Whitlock. David Whitlock says future plans for this building are still to be determined.  Ambrose School History Susan Hawkins © 2024 If you find any of Grayson County TXGenWeb links inoperable, please send me a message. |